Extension-foot.



C. L. MQFARLAND.

EXTENSION FOOT.

APPLIGATION FILED 0016,1914.

1 1 283 1 8., Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

l l l l a l '1 CLYDE L. MCFARLAND, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXTENSION-FOOT.

Application filed October 6, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLYDE L. MCFARLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Extension-Foot, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a device adapted to support the natural foot of a shortened limb as an extension thereof, thus presenting the appearance of the natural foot and serving as the same, and permitting the device to be worn without weariness, said device being composed of sections articularly connected comprising the front and rear of an artificial foot on which a natural foot may be sustained, said sections being adapted to separate and close together in the operation of walking, and means of rigid material fitted in the opposite sections to move therewith for positively limiting the separating motion so as to prevent injury to the device and being concealed in the sections.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied as long as they are within the scope of the claims.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of an extension foot embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section on line g y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 4. represents a horizontal section on line e.e, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of an extension foot composed of the front section 2, and rear section 3, the former comprising the body and toe of the device, and the latter comprising the heel thereof, the upper sides of said sections conforming to the contour of the underside of the foot of the wearer, said sections being joined by the hinge 4 after the manner of an artificial foot, the opposite inner walls 5 and 6 of said sections being separated by the vertically-extending space 7 between them, said space flaring from the bottom upwardly so that the sections may separate from each other at said walls, as shown in Fig. 1, and likewise approach each other, both while in the act of walking. The hinge 4 is formed of butts and a knuckle, said butts being seated in recesses in the under- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915. Serial No. 865,259.

side of the sections 2 and 3 flush with the adjacent portions of said underside, the knuckle being above so that the hinge presents no projection at said underside. The sections are preferably formed of wood and the hinge of metal, said hinge occasioning the proper articulation or forward and backward motions of the sections, while pre venting lateral distortion or side play of the sections and providing a strong connection of the same, and strengthening the bottom of the device as it provides a wear'plate at the base of the joint of the sections as most plainly shown in Fig. 1. In said walls are recesses which receive the resilient piece 8, preferably soft rubber which while contracting acts as a cushion, when the sections close toward each other, and which while expanding tends to force said sections from each other to limit which I employ the links 9 freely occupying openings in the inner ends of the sections toward each other in the longitudinal direction thereof and which have their end portions fitted on transversely-extending pins 10, which are secured in the respective sections 2 and 3 so spaced relative to each other that when the sections separate, the bends or end portions of the links abut against said pins, and while permitting the sections to move from each other on the hinge 4:, as in Fig. 1, they limit positively such motion and so prevent separation of the sections to an injurious extent as shown in Fig. 1. When the sections close, the pins slide freely on the links as the latter approach each other, so as not to interfere with the closing motion of the sections, as will be apparent in Fig. 4:.

It will be noticed that the shoe foot of the wearer is supported directly on the two sections over the flaring space 7, without interfering with the freedom of motion of the front section 2 on the sole of the shoe, as said section rises and lowers during walking as is evident. It will be noticed also that the links 9 and pins 10 are formed of rigid material preferably metal, whereby they are strong and durable, they allowing the sections to yield and limit positively the separation thereof, while they will not buckle, crinkle or fold up which would be destructive to them, and the links are guided by the walls of the recesses or openings in the opposite sections which they occupy, and so they assist in causing the sections to open and close true to each other and to prevent lateral deflections of the same, while they are concealed in the sections.

The device is attached to the foot of the wearer in any suitable manner.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an extension foot composed of articular front and rear sections with a space between them at the joint thereof, a stop adapted to limit positively the separating motions of said sections, said stop being composed of a longitudinally-extending member slidably fitted to the opposite sections, and transversely-extending members comparatively immovable on said sections and adapted to engage said first named member to impart the sliding motions thereto in the opposite directions of the sections, the several members being formed of rigid material.

2. In an extension foot, a body formed of front and rear sections articularly connected with a well-defined space between the opposite inner walls thereof, a link member Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, :by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

